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Baytown-East Freeway - 1 reference result
Interstate 10 in Texas
In the U.S. state of Texas, Interstate 10 is the major east-west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. It runs east from El Paso, Texas, near the border with New Mexico, through San Antonio and Houston to the border with Louisiana near Orange, Texas.

At just under 879 miles (1,410 km), the length of Interstate 10 crossing Texas, maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation, is the longest continuous untolled freeway under a single authority in North America, a title formerly held by Ontario's Highway 401. Mile marker 880 (and the corresponding exit number) near Orange are the highest numbered mile marker and exit on the interstate highway system, or for that matter, on any freeway in North America.

Texas alone contains more than a third of the interstate's entire length. El Paso is 785 miles (1,260 km) from the western terminus of Interstate 10 in Santa Monica, California, making it closer to Los Angeles than it is to Orange, 857 miles (1,370 km) away. Likewise, Orange on the Texas-Louisiana border is only 789 miles (1,270 km) from the eastern terminus of Interstate 10 in Jacksonville, Florida.

History

West Texas

Interstate 10 replaced and currently runs concurrent with U.S. Highway 85 from the New Mexico border up until the two diverge at mile marker 13. The two highways parallel each other for several miles until Highway 85 continues to head south to the border with Mexico and I-10 turns east towards El Paso. Prior to the interstate system, Highway 85 ran concurrent with U.S. Highway 80 from the New Mexico border until the two diverged west of El Paso. I-10 replaced Highway 80 through El Paso and to the southeast and east to the present day junction of I-10 and Interstate 20. Highway 80 along this route has been completely removed from the highway system in favor of I-10.

At the junction with I-20, I-10 replaced U.S. Highway 290 eastward to the present day junction of I-10 and Highway 290 southeast of Junction. This section of Highway 290 was deleted from the highway system. From this point to near Comfort, I-10 replaced State Highway 27. State Highway 27 still exists along this stretch, mostly paralleling I-10 to the south. From Comfort southeast to San Antonio, I-10 directly replaced U.S. Highway 87.

San Antonio and Central Texas

I-10 generally follows the alignment of US 87 on the northwest side of San Antonio into downtown. A new alignment was built to the south of downtown for the freeway since it was impossible to upgrade the surface streets in downtown that US 87 and US 90 followed prior to the interstate highway system. Southeast of downtown, I-10 curves back to the northeast to connect with the pre-interstate alignment of US 90.

Construction of portions of I-10 were well underway and completed prior to the commissioning of the highway in 1959. The section from Culebra Road to Woodlawn Road opened as the first freeway in San Antonio in 1949, but was signed as US 87. Expansion and construction continued in the 1950s, but the bulk of the construction occurred in the 1960s after the interstate was commissioned. The current alignment was completed by 1968.

Rapid growth in San Antonio has resulted in the original highway becoming quickly inadequate, resulting in the highway being in perpetual construction and expansion. In the 1980s the portion just northwest of downtown was reconstructed to add a double deck feature to expand the freeway to five lanes in each direction. In 1990, the interstate had only two lanes in each direction from Loop 1604 to where the double deck freeway begins near downtown. Construction is currently underway to expand the freeway to five lanes in each direction from just outside the I-410 loop all the way into downtown. The I-10 and I-410 interchange is also being reconstucted into a four-level stack interchange.

Houston and East Texas

As part of the construction of Interstate 10 in the 1960s, the Katy Freeway was named for the connection to Katy from Houston. Because West Houston was empty farmland, the freeway was made small and simple for its drivers. Not counting the side lanes, it was only 6-8 lanes wide, which compared to many other freeways in Houston, was tiny. Despite the small size of the freeway at the time, population growth in the area had caused considerable traffic congestion. By 2001, the AADT was 238,000 vehicles just west of the West Loop.

It wasn't until 2000 that the Katy Freeway was forced to upgrade. It had become inadequate due to the increased traffic and West Houston's bustling communities. In 2002, the old railway had been demolished and the area was cleared for the freeway's renovation.

In 2004, construction began on the freeway. Planned to be at least 16 lanes wide, the new stretch would have to hold up to 200,000 people per day. Two highway intersections would have to be built (Beltway 8 and I-610), toll booths would be a new addition, including major landscaping as part of Houston's Highway Beautification Project.

The first completed sections, from just west of Highway 6 to the Fort Bend/Harris county line, opened in late June 2006. As of September 2006, most of the freeway between Beltway 8 and State Highway 6 has been laid, while the stretch to Washington Avenue inside I-610 will be completed later. The majority of the freeway will be completed by 2008, with total completion by 2009.

Route description

West Texas

I-10 enters Texas northwest of El Paso near Anthony and travels southward, concurrent with U.S. Highway 85 and U.S. Highway 180. The US 85 splits off west of El Paso with US 85 heading south to the border with Mexico and I-10/US 180 turning to the east towards downtown El Paso. I-10 and US 180 diverge east of downtown as US 180 heads off to the northeast and I-10 to the southeast. I-10 is called Gateway Boulevard in El Paso based on designations for the frontage roads. On the eastern side of the city, I-10 turns to the southeast and begins to parallel the Rio Grande and Mexican border for approximately 60 miles.

I-10 leaves the Rio Grande with a primarily eastward heading. Just east of Kent, the western terminus of Interstate 20 intersects with I-10. I-20 heads northeast towards the Dallas-Fort Worth area and I-10 continues to head east. US Highway 67 runs concurrently with I-10 for a stretch and the La Entrada al Pacifico trade corridor is a part of this stretch of I-10. Near Junction, I-10 begins a more southeastwardly course as it heads toward the San Antonio metropolitan area. Near Comfort, I-10 and U.S. Highway 87 begin a concurrency that carries on into San Antonio.

Due to I-10 traversing one of the more rural parts of the United States, it has several unique features that differentiate it from other interstate highways. I-10 is one of the very few interstates that have at-grade intersections (roads that intersect it at a 90 degree angle, as opposed to an overpass or underpass with on and off ramps). These are private access roads (mostly from large ranches) which occur over a limited stretch in western Texas.

The stretch from Kerr County to El Paso County has an 80 mph (130 km/h) speed limit, the highest in the nation.

San Antonio and Central Texas

I-10 is the busiest freeway in San Antonio with nearly 200,000 vehicles on an average day. On the northwest side, I-10 is known as the McDermott Freeway, named after Robert F. McDermott, former dean of the United States Air Force Academy as well as CEO of the USAA financial services corporation. The highway enters the city concurrent with US 87 from the north and travels more in a north-south direction into downtown, rather than the east-west designation found on the interstate highway signs. The northern section from Loop 1604 to downtown serves one of the fastest growing areas of the city. A majority of the region's suburban office space is located along the corridor as are the headquarters for USAA, gasoline refiner and retailer Valero, South Texas Medical Center, the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and the Shops at La Cantera. I-10 intersects Interstate 410 for the first time near Balcones Heights, a suburban city within San Antonio. The construction is nearing completion of a four-level interchange to accommodate the growing northwest side. Heavy commercial development dominates the landscape between I-410 and Loop 1604. Inside I-410, the route is lined with light industrial and residential areas.

As I-10 heads south into downtown, it splits into an upper level with three lanes in each direction and a lower level with two lanes in each direction. It was necessary to design the freeway this way in order to accommodate the amount of traffic heading into downtown and to fit into the narrow corridor that was surrounded by existing infrastructure. I-10 meets Interstate 35 on the northwest side of downtown and it runs concurrent with I-35 South to form the west side of the downtown loop. The I-35 exit numbers are carried through during the concurrency. I-10 and I-35 end their concurrency at a four-level interchange on the southwest side of downtown with the junction of U.S. Highway 90 from the west. I-35 continues to the south and I-10 and US 90 run concurrent to the east to form the south side of the downtown loop. This section of I-10 is known as the Jose Lopez Freeway, named after the Medal of Honor recipient. A four-level interchange with Interstate 37 occurs approximately 2 miles (3 km) east of the I-35 interchange. I-10 heads east away from downtown through mainly residential neighborhoods on the eastside of San Antonio. I-10's concurrency with U.S 87 ends just east of downtown when US 87 heads south towards Victoria. I-10 provides access to the AT&T Center, home of the San Antonio Spurs, and to the Freeman Coliseum. Leaving San Antonio, I-10 again passes the loops I-410 and Loop 1604. I-10 is known as the 90th Infantry Division Memorial Highway on this stretch east of San Antonio. I-10 and US 90 continue their concurrency until they diverge in Seguin. They continue from there on to Houston nearly paralleling each other with short stints of concurrency along the route.

Houston and East Texas

In Houston, from the western suburb of Katy to downtown, I-10 is known as the Katy Freeway. This section is currently being widened to as much as 26 lanes (12 main lanes, 8 lanes of access roads, and 4-6 mid-freeway HOT/HOV lanes, not counting access road turning lanes) and will be one of the widest freeways in the world.

Between I-610 and I-45 west of downtown, the interstate contains at least 5 lanes in each direction. This section has traditionally been the widest section of I-10 in the Houston area and the only one with a significant portion below grade. As I-10 travels through downtown, it interchanges with Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59, the future corridor of Interstate 69 through Texas. Both interchanges feature left exits causing several lane shifts for through traffic. I-10 provides access to Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros.

The section east of downtown Houston is officially known as the "East Freeway," although it is widely known by locals as the "Baytown East Freeway" due to a marketing push by Baytown, the easternmost principal city of the Greater Houston Area.

In Beaumont, it is designated Eastex Freeway between both splits with U.S. Highway 69. Eastex is not to be confused with the designation for U.S. Highway 59 in Houston.

Exit list

County Location # Destinations Notes
El Paso El Paso 0
1 Rest Area Eastbound exit and entrance with frontage road access
2 Westway, Vinton
6
8 Paseo del Norte, Artcraft Road (SH 178)
9 Redd Road
11
12 Resler Drive Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
13 East end of US 85 overlap
16 Executive Center Boulevard
18A Schuster Avenue – UTEP
18B Porforio Diaz Street, Franklin Avenue
19A , Convention Center Signed as exit 19 eastbound
19B Downtown El Paso, Convention Center Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
20 Dallas Street, Cotton Street
21 Piedras Street
22A
22B – Alamogordo, Fort Bliss, Cd. Juárez
23A Raynolds Street
23B – Carlsbad East end of US 180 overlap
24A Trowbridge Drive Westbound exit is via exit 24
24B Geronimo Drive Signed as exit 24 westbound
25 Airway Boulevard – El Paso Airport
26 Hawkins Boulevard
27 Hunter Drive, Viscount Boulevard Westbound exit is via exit 28A
28A
28B Yarbrough Drive, Sumac Drive
29 Lomaland Drive Westbound exit is via exit 30
30 Lee Trevino Drive
32
34
35 Eastlake Boulevard
37
42
Fabens 49
55 Tornillo
Hudspeth 68 Acala Road
72
78
81
85 Esperanza Road
87
95 Frontage Road Eastbound exit and entrance
99 Lasca Road
105 Signed as exit 106 westbound; no eastbound entrance
107
108 Westbound exit only
129 Allamore, Hot Wells
Culberson 133 Frontage Road Westbound exit and entrance
Van Horn 138
140A
140B
146 Wild Horse Road
153 Michigan Flat
159 Plateau
166 Boracho Station
173 Hurds Draw Road
176
Jeff Davis 181 Cherry Creek Road
184 Springhills
Reeves 187 No exit number eastbound; exit 186 westbound is a U-turn for I-20 west to I-10 east traffic
188 Giffin Road
192
206
209 West end of SH 17 overlap
212

 East end of SH 17 overlap
214 Eastbound exit is via exit 212
222 Hoefs Road
Pecos 229 Hovey Road
235 Mendel Road
241 Kennedy Road
246 Firestone Road
248 , Sul Ross State University West end of US 67 overlap
253
Fort Stockton 256
257
259B Signed as exit 259 eastbound
259A Eastbound exit is via exit 259 (SH 18)
261 West end of US 385 overlap
264 Warnock Road
272 University Road
273 East end of US 67/US 385 overlap
277
285 McKenzie Road
288 Ligon Road
294
298
307
314 Frontage Road
320 Frontage Road
325
Crockett 328 River Road
337 Live Oak Road
343
350
361
363
365
368
372 Taylor Box Road
Sutton 381 Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
388 Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
392
Sonora 399 Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
400
404
412
420
429
Kimble 437 – Roosevelt Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
438 – Roosevelt Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
442
445 Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
451
Junction 456 West end of US 83 overlap
457
460 Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
462 East end of US 83 overlap
465
472
477
Kerr 484 Midway Road
488
490
492
501
505
Kerrville 508
520
Kendall 523 West end of US 87 overlap
524
527 Eastbound exit is via exit 524
533
Boerne 537
539 Johns Road
540
542 Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
543 Boerne Stage Road, Cascade Caverns Road
Bexar 546 Fair Oaks Parkway, Tarpon Drive
San Antonio 550
551 Boerne Stage Road – Leon Springs Eastbound exit is via exit 550
554 Camp Bullis Road
555 La Cantera Parkway – Fiesta Texas
556A
556B Frontage Road
557
558 De Zavala Road
559 Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
559 Woodstone Drive No eastbound exit
560A Huebner Road Westbound exit is via exit 560
560B Frontage Road Eastbound exit and entrance
560 Ramsgate Drive Westbound exit and entrance
561 Wurzbach Road
562 Medical Drive Westbound exit is part of exit 561
Callaghan Road Eastbound exit is via exit 562; westbound exit is temporarily via exit 561
564
565A Crossroads Boulevard – Balcones Heights
565B Vance Jackson Road
566A West Avenue
566B Fresno Drive
567A Hildebrand Avenue, Fulton Avenue
567B
568A Cincinnati Avenue Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
568B Signed as exit 568 eastbound
569A Colorado Street Signed as exit 569 westbound; no eastbound entrance
569B Frio Street – Downtown San Antonio Eastbound exit and entrance
569C Santa Rosa Street – Downtown San Antonio Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
570 No exit number westbound
West end of I-35 overlap (concurrent section uses I-35 exit numbers)
155B Frio Street, Durango Boulevard – Downtown San Antonio
155A
154B South Laredo Street, Cevallos Street
154A
West end of US 90 overlap
East end of I-35 overlap
573
574
575 Pine Street, Hackberry Street
576 New Braunfels Avenue, Gevers Street
577 East end of US 87 overlap
578 Pecan Valley Drive, M. L. King Drive
579 Houston Street, Commerce Street
580
581
582 Ackerman Road – Kirby
583 Foster Road
585
587
589 Graytown Road, Pfeil Road
591
593
Guadalupe 595 Zuehl Road
597 Santa Clara Road
599
600 Schwab Road
601
603 Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; east end of US 90 overlap
604
605
Seguin 607
609
610
612
617
620
625 Darst Field Road
628
Caldwell 632
Gonzales 637
642
649
653
Fayette Flatonia 661
668
Schulenburg 674
677
Colorado Weimar 682
689
693
Columbus 695 West end of SH 71 overlap; eastbound exit is via exit 693
696 East end of SH 71 overlap
698 West end of US 90 overlap
699
704
709
Austin 713 Beckendorff Road
716 Pyka Road
Sealy 718 Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; east end of US 90 overlap
720
721 Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; west end of US 90 overlap
San Felipe 723
725 Micak Road Eastbound exit is via exit 723
726 Chew Road Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Waller 729 Peach Ridge Road, Donigan Road (US 90 east) East end of US 90 overlap; signed as exit 730 westbound
Brookshire 731
732
737 Pederson Road
Fort Bend Katy 740
741 Pin Oak Road Westbound exit is via exit 740
Harris 741 Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; west end of US 90 overlap
742 Katy-Fort Bend County Road Eastbound exit is via exit 741
743
745 Mason Road
746 Westgreen Boulevard
747A Fry Road
747B Greenhouse Road
Houston 748 Barker-Cypress Road
750 Park Ten Boulevard
751
753A Eldridge Parkway
753B Dairy Ashford Road
754 Kirkwood Road
755 Wilcrest Drive
756A Eastbound exit is via exit 755
756B Signed as exit 756 eastbound
757 Gessner Road
758 Bunker Hill Road
759A Blalock Road, Echo Lane Signed as exit 759 eastbound
759B Campbell Road Eastbound exit is via exit 759
760 Bingle Road, Voss Road
761A Wirt Road, Chimney Rock Road Signed as exit 761 eastbound
761B Antoine Drive, Silber Road Eastbound exit is via exit 761A
762 Silber Road, Katy Road, North Post Oak Road Signed as exit 762B westbound
763
764 Washington Avenue, Westcott Street
765A T. C. Jester Boulevard Eastbound exit is via exit 764
765B North Durham Drive, Shepherd Drive, Patterson Street Signed as exit 765 eastbound
766A Yale Street, Heights Boulevard, Patterson Street Signed as exit 766 westbound
766B Studemont Street Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
767 Taylor Street
768 Signed as exits 768A (north) and 768B (south)
769A Smith Street – Downtown Houston Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
769B San Jacinto Street, Main Street Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
769C McKee Street, Hardy Street Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
770 Signed as exits 770A (south) and 770C (north)
770B Jensen Drive, Meadow Street, Gregg Street
771A Waco Street
771B Lockwood Drive
772 Kress Street, Lathrop Street
773A West end of US 90 Alt. overlap
773B McCarty Drive (US 90 Alt. east) East end of US 90 Alt. overlap
774 Gellhorn Drive Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
775A East end of US 90 overlap
776A Mercury Drive
776B John Ralston Road, Holland Avenue
778A Westbound exit is via exit 778
778B Normandy Street Signed as exit 778 westbound
779A Westmont Street Westbound exit only
779B Market Street Road, Uvalde Road Signed as exit 780 eastbound
780 Freeport Street Eastbound exit is via exit 780 (Uvalde Road)
781A Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
781B Signed as exit 781A westbound
781B Market Street Westbound exit only
782 Dell Dale Avenue No westbound entrance
783 Sheldon Road
784 Cedar Lane, Bayou Drive
785 Magnolia Avenue
786 Monmouth Drive
787 Crosby-Lynchburg Road
788 Westbound exit is via exit 787
789 Thompson Road
790 Ellis School Road Westbound exit only
790 Wade Road Westbound exit is via exit 791
791 John Martin Road
Baytown 792 Garth Road
793 North Main Street
795 Sjolander Road
796 Frontage Road Signed as exit 796B westbound
Chambers Mont Belvieu 798
799
800
Cove 803
Trinity River Boat Ramp, Turnaround
806 Frontage Road Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
807 Wallisville
810
811 Turtle Bayou Turnaround Eastbound exit and entrance
812 Frontage Road Westbound exit and entrance
813 Signed as exit 812 eastbound
817
819 Jenkins Road
822
Winnie 827
828 Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
829
Jefferson 833 Hampshire Road
838
843 Smith Road
Beaumont 845 Westbound exit is via exit 847
847 Brooks Road Eastbound exit is via exit 845
848 Walden Road
849 West end of US 69/US 96/US 287 overlap
850 Washington Boulevard Eastbound exit is via exit 849
851
852A Laurel Avenue Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
852B Calder Avenue, Harrison Avenue, Gladys Avenue
853A East end of US 69/US 96/US 287 overlap
853B 11th Street
853C 7th Street Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
854
855A
855B Magnolia Avenue, Pine Street Eastbound exit is via exit 854
Orange 856 Old Highway Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Rose City 858 Asher Turnaround – Rose City
859 DeWitt Road, Bonner Turnaround, Asher Turnaround
Vidor 860A North Dewitt Road Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
860B West Vidor Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
861A
861B Lamar Street Westbound exit only
861C Denver Street Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
861D No eastbound entrance
862A Railroad Avenue Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
862B Old Highway Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
862C Timberlane Drive Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
864
865 Doty Road Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
867 Frontage Road Eastbound exit only
869
870
Orange 873
874A Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
874B Womack Road Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
875
876 Frontage Road – Adams Bayou
877
878
879 Texas Travel Information Center Eastbound exit is via exit 880
880 Sabine River Turnaround Eastbound exit and westbound entrance

References

External links

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Last updated on Monday September 29, 2008 at 13:36:26 PDT (GMT -0700)
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